The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-09-02
a TEXAS CATTLE RANCH.

Ono Million Acres OF Land Controll-
ed by One Man-The Methods EN-
ployed.
The great Matador ranch is situated
upon the headwaters of Pease river,
and comprises nearly the whole of
Motley county, about one-third Of
Dickens, about one-third of Cottle, and
about one-fourth of Floyd county, and
contains nearly three hundred more
square miles than the state of Rhode
Island. 1t comprises more than one
million of acres of land. upon which
there are more than one hundred thous-
and head of cattle. The location OF
this great ranch is one of
peculiar adaptability to the scale of
operations which characterize it as one
of the most complete and magnificent
ranches in the west. 1t covers the
three forks which form the sources Of
Pease river, with all their affluents and
entire water system, extending thence
to the Brazos, and including some Of
the sources of that river. 1t is thus
furnished with an ample supply of
water in all Its portions. 1t is also ira
versed by thousands of small streams
that flow from the innumerable springs
which burst from the canyons, gulches,
and breaks of tho plains. Its physical
features are divided between the plains
which compose about one-fourth of its
area, and the basins and broken coun-
try, which consist of valleys, hills, and
every diversity of landscape. which
from the canyons and basins often
have the appearance OF mountains Of
every variety of shape, but are really
only remnants of the plains standing
out in peaks hundreds of feet above the
surrounding basins and gulches. These
afford valuable shelter to the cattle
from the bleak winds or ''northers, as
they are called in Texas, which sweep
over the plains in piercing icy blasts
from the mountains Of the north and
west.
The soil OF the plains consists OF
red loan, that of the valleys and basins
of sandy loan, and that Of the hills
consists chiefly of sand and gravel. The
prevailing rocks are gypsum and lime
stone, the former composing the
principal strata. There is no sign Of
any volcanic action. Every formation
Is surfacial and the natural result Of
heat air, and water. The plains
arc covered with gramma and mesquit
grass. while the basins and broken
country afford the best mesquit pastur-
age.
There are five different pastures for
bulls and horses and two for beef
cattle, one of which contains ninety
thousand acres and the other one
hundred thousand acres, and the varied
classes of cattle are distributed through
out the ranch during the different
seasons. There are sixteen complete
and well-arranged corrals for marking
and branding calves, situated In differ
eut parts OF the ranch, and it requires
moro than three hundred miles of fenc-
ing to inclose the ranch and divide its
pastures.
There are about four thousand bulls
Of different breeds on the ranch, COM
prising Herefords, polled Angus, and
shorthorns, or Durhams and their
grades. OF the various mixtures of
these, the favorite strain lie cross Of
the common Texas COW with the short
horn, and then re-crossed with Here
ford. Tho polled Angus is. upon ne
whole. the best adapted to the pla' s.
Is their long hair protects them be ter
from the bleak winds which sweep
over the elevated ranches.
There about one thousand saddle and
work horses kept for the use Of the
ranch, and tho average number of cow